Montgomery – Men and women who ride motorcycles understand the risks. If something goes wrong on a bike, the resulting injuries are usually serious or life threatening.
Even so, millions take that chance for the thrill and passion of the cycling experience, and increasing numbers are participating in stunt classes to learn "safer" ways to perform tricks.
About 1 p.m. Sunday, the Los Angeles-based company On One Wheel was using a rented stretch of tarmac at the Orange County Airport to help riders practice popping wheelies.
Something went wrong.
According to Town of Montgomery police, Leslie R. Duco, 46, was participating in the wheelie class when she lost control of a Triumph motorcycle and was thrown from the bike.
Sgt. Dennis Barnett said Duco was treated on-site by Montgomery County Regional EMS, already on standby at the airport, and transported by Mobile Life Support Services to Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, where she later died.
Police said the cause of death has not yet been determined.
"The pavement was wet, (but) right now it does not appear that the weather had anything to do with it," Barnett said. "It's not prudent to do those kinds of maneuvers in inclement weather."
A reconstruction and investigation by Montgomery police and the Orange County Sheriff's Office is continuing.
While there's no risk-free way to practice motorcycle stunts, On One Wheel uses a modified training bike equipped with anti-flip devices designed to slow the bike and lower it back to the ground. According to the company's Web site, one device activates a "rev limiter" to kill one of the engine's three cylinders, and the other device applies the rear brake. The training bike can also be adjusted for different wheelie heights.
According to the Web site, Sunday's class was the last of three consecutive days of sold-out training courses at the airport. The next series of classes is scheduled from June 10 to 12. Lessons cost $495 per day.
Orange County spokesman Steve Gross said On One Wheel had the appropriate permits and insurance to conduct classes at the airport. It's not unusual for the airport to rent to private organizations. "We have a number of venues that rent space from the airport from time to time," Gross said. In the past, bus drivers have trained on unused runway.
Duco's family could not be reached yesterday. A spokesman for On One Wheel could not discuss the accident by press time yesterday.

This does suck!
Most of the classes like this are conducted in the safest manner possible. I cant imagine running into anything at a school. She most have broke her neck or some other internal injuries from falling and tumbling.

This does suck!
Most of the classes like this are conducted in the safest manner possible. I cant imagine running into anything at a school. She most have broke her neck or some other internal injuries from falling and tumbling.

I'd have to agree. I thought that they put like wheelie bars on the bikes for the training. And I saw, it was probably the Cali Superbike School, that they put like bars on the sides of the bikes to help in the turning so that you get used to how far over the bike can actually lean.??

That should be the same anywhere. I don't know of any MSF Advanced course that lets you use their bikes. You must use your own cause that's the whole purpose of it. They just make the same things for the Beginner course a little larger usually, or so I've been told. I'm looking for clarification on that though.

I'm at home trying to use this G......mn dialup and I get timed out before the post comes up...

It was reported May 23, 2005

I will put the article up when I get the link to work...

May 23, 2005

Fatal motorcycle crash at airport wheelie class

Montgomery - Leslie R. Duco died from injuries sustained from a motorcycle crash at the Orange County Airport Sunday, Town of Montgomery Police said.
Duco, 46, was participating in a wheelie stunt class operated by On One Wheel Wheelie School, a Los Angeles-based company that teaches motorcycle drivers how to perform wheelies using a closed course and bikes with anti-flip devices.
In this case, the closed course was a stretch of tarmac at the Orange County Airport, 40 Hangar Road, Montgomery. Police said On One Wheel had the appropriate county permits to conduct the class at the airport.
At approximately 1:09 p.m. Sunday, Duco lost control of a Triumph motorcycle and was thrown from the bike, said Sgt. Dennis Barnett. She was treated on-site by Montgomery County Regional EMS, already on standby at the airport, and transported by Mobile Life Support Services to Horton Memorial Hospital in Middletown, where she later died.
Police said cause of death had not yet been released. "The pavement was wet, [but] right now it does not appear that the weather had anything to do with it," said Barnett. "It's not prudent to do those kinds of maneuvers in inclement weather."
A reconstruction and investigation by the Montgomery police and the Orange County Sheriff's Department is continuing.
Alexa James

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